

However, the PCIe and DIMM slots are all full from the factory, so you’ll be replacing components with upgrades rather than just adding new functionality on top. It even allows you to upgrade after the fact, like a traditional PC. The Origin Chronos is a bit pricey if you’re not looking for a home theater PC that can double as a powerful gaming rig, but it’s a fantastic option if that is what you’re looking for. You can also upgrade to a variety of more powerful Intel and AMD Ryzen CPUs and even slot in a beastly Nvidia GeForce3 RTX Titan if you’re looking to future-proof your home theater and gaming experiences. The base configuration of the Origin Chronos comes packed with a six-core AMD Ryand an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super, which means you can even use it with some of the best VR headsets.

Still, it doesn’t look out of place next to an Xbox One or PlayStation 4, nor will it have overstayed its welcome by the time you upgrade to the next generation of consoles. It doesn’t conform exactly to the size specifications of any specific game system. While the Chronos is a bit on the large side, gamers will be immediately comfortable with the size and form factor. If you’re a home-theater buff also into PC gaming, the Origin Chronos ticks all the right boxes. Yet, it’s powerful enough to run the 4K display in your home theater system and then seamlessly switch over to play many of the latest games at the highest settings. This PC is still significantly smaller than your typical tower unit. The Origin Chronos is on the larger side of PCs we recommend for home theater settings, but there’s a good reason for the exception. If that isn’t important, then this line has a whole lot to offer.

The only real drawback of the Dell Optiplex 3070 Micro is there isn’t any option for discrete graphics, so you won’t be using this as both a home theater PC and a gaming rig. If you need a higher performance option, you can upgrade to a variety of Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors, add a 256GB PCIe SSD, add up to 8GB of RAM, and more. The entry-level Dell Optiplex 3070 Micro offers an excellent mix of affordability and performance, with a dual-core Pentium processor, 4GB DDR4 RAM, and a spacious 500 GB hard disk drive, all with a price tag lower than much of the competition. Carefully route short cables behind your television as well, add a soundbar, and the Dell Optiplex 3070 can form the core of one of the stealthiest home theater systems around. While this unit is small enough to fit into most home theater cabinets and other situations, you can actually mount it to the back of your VESA-compatible television with an optional bracket. The Dell Optiplex 3070 Micro is a great choice if you’re working on a bit of a budget and also have space constraints.
